Special thanks to Tiffin Cottage Taste Of Home for extending this food review invitation.
Tiffin Cottage Taste Of Home is a small eatery next to Restoran Seafood MYS. The restaurant used to focus on Nyonya cuisine. But after some renovation work earlier this year, Tiffin Cottage has revised its menu to cover Western dishes and mini steamboat.
The dining section of this restaurant is relatively small, yet its homely ambience presents a cozy setting for casual dining. Operated daily by the proprietor and her family, Tiffin Cottage emphasizes on family-style cooking. Most dishes are prepared fresh in the kitchen and do not contain added MSG.
The merit of home-cooked food is reflected in how Creamy Mushroom Soup (RM10.00) is prepared: from actual mushrooms. Indeed, one can feel the chunky bits of mushroom in this appetizing soup. Chopped parsley is sprinkled on the soup for aesthetic appeal.
The Creamy Mushroom Soup comes with two slices of matcha-flavored garlic bread. Although garlic butter still takes precedence in the overall taste, I appreciate the novelty that this unique bread presents. Garlic bread is also available in the à la carte menu for RM7.00 per serving.
BBQ Chicken (RM16.00) is dressed in savory barbecue sauce, but I feel that the sauce overpowers the natural sweetness of chicken. As for texture, the deboned chicken thigh is tender and juicy to my satisfaction. Side dishes are crinkle-cut fries and salad with mayonnaise dressing.
Tiffin Cottage’s menu also includes several rice dishes in line with the local palate. One of the more popular choices is Chicken Havenland (RM13.00): pan-fried chicken chop with Asian-style dressing. Loaded with strong taste of onions, garlic and bird’s eye chili (cili padi), the gravy makes the chicken succulent indeed.
Taocheow Prawn (RM15.00) is another rice dish that resonates well with locals. The bowl of shrimps is flavored with salty gravy made from doubanjiang (豆瓣酱). Made from fermented bean paste, doubanjiang is typically used to season tofu and vegetables. But this is truly the first time that I encounter doubanjiang with shrimps.
Milk Tomyum (牛奶东炎, RM11.00) is easily one of my favorite dishes today. The creamy soup is prepared from milk as opposed to coconut milk. Although tom yum (ต้มยำ) is often too spicy for me, the presence of milk seems to tone down the soup’s sharp taste. Besides instant noodle, the pot of Milk Tomyum also contains minced pork, crab sticks (蟹柳), fish balls, shiitake mushrooms (黑菇) and enoki mushrooms (金针菇).
Each of the main dishes comes with a free drink such as Iced Lemon Tea. Meanwhile, customers who prefer fizzy drinks can check out the Tiffin Soda series. Apple Passion (RM8.00) and Blue Lagoon Soda (RM8.00) are both made from soda pop but contain different types of fruit-flavored syrup.
Tiffin Cottage also serves homemade ice cream that is supplied by a home-based producer. A different set of flavors is featured each month. Ice cream is sold at RM7.90 for a single scoop and RM14.90 for two scoops.
I enjoy the Brown Rice flavor very much thanks to its unique aroma reminiscent of rice husk. Meanwhile, Charcoal Cheese ice cream is prepared from charcoal powder. Last but not least, Banana Walnut is popular among children due to the ice cream’s pleasurable sweetness.
Tiffin Cottage has several sets of tiffin carriers on sale. With 3 or 4 bowls stacked on top one another, a tiffin carrier is a popular form of lunch box in Asia because it keeps different dishes in separate compartments during transportation.
Finally, Tiffin Cottage also accepts orders for homemade chilled cheesecakes and 3D jelly cakes. The cakes are not stocked upfront, so customers are advised to place their orders 2 days in advance.
Name: Tiffin Cottage Taste Of Home
Address: 6, Lorong Mesra Permai 4, Taman Mesra Permai, 13400 Butterworth, Pulau Pinang
Contact: 012-645-1512
Business hours: 12:00pm-3:00pm, 6:30pm-10:30pm, closed on Thursdays
Website: https://www.facebook.com/tiffincottage
Coordinates: 5.43050 N, 100.39325 E
Directions: Tiffin Cottage is located in Taman Mesra Permai, Butterworth. The restaurant is adjacent to Restoran Seafood MYS and faces Jalan Ong Yi How. Street parking is available in front of the restaurant.
